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Fortress of Solitude

Daniel 5:1-9

We all live in our own little worlds. Our own little bubbles. So I am told anyway. Often, the problems of the outside world and the concerns of others, they don’t affect us or faze us. We may be oblivious to them, but in many ways, were are just indifferent. We are aware of the turmoil, but as long as it doesn’t get inside our little fortress of solitude then we just don’t care. We become apathetic.

This is the way Belshazzar was living.

He was the King of the City of Babylon. The second in command for the whole kingdom. The Medo-Persian Army was camped outside the city walls, and the King was unfazed. He threw a great party. It was really a drunken rager. It was much like Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burns. Outside his city, the Kingdom was being overtaken and conquered by Cyrus, but inside the well fortified city, they were just partying. They didn’t care about the world outside. 

Belshazzar knew his city was the strongest city in the Kingdom. He thought the city was indestructible. Impenetrable even. He was safe, so, why worry? Many of us live our lives with this fatalistic attitude as well. As long as the problems of the world don’t affect the price of our latte, then we just live life in a drunken stupor. Maybe not literally, but spiritually anyway.

It is like the days of Noah.

Matthew 24:37-39 - For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

We just completely ignore the signs of the times, the ark being built as it were, and go on with life like it’s no big deal. But the problem with that, of course, is that the flood is coming. Jesus is returning, and all judgement has been given to the son. In his first coming, he came to seek and save the lost, in his second coming, he comes with a sword to strike down the nations and rule with a rod of iron.

And the world? The world lives in its little bubble. They live with a complete lack of respect to God’s ways and God’s Word.

Yet, the writing is on the wall. It has been there for thousands of years. They just can’t read it. They don’t know what it says, or how it applies to them. Why? Because it takes the Spirit of God to understand the Word of God, and those who haven’t surrendered their lives to Jesus, don’t have his spirit living in them.

But if you have given your life to Jesus. You do. You know what it says and what it means.

Jesus words are very clear.

John 3:18 - Whoever believes in him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

So, as a Christian, how should you live your life? Well, as it says in Ephesians 5, not in debauchery, not drunk on wine, as Belshazzar was, but instead be filled with the Spirit. Be awake and Sober. Share the truth. Stand firm.

Point people to the Hope that is found in Jesus.